Die-casting apparatus



Nov. 27, 1928.

M. STERN DI'E CASTING APPARATUS Original Filed May 2 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIII IN V EN TOR Mara Jiern Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

MARC STERN, FLINT,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO DOEHLEB 'nm-cns'rme comraiw,

A conrona'rxon or NEW aroma- DIE-CASTING Arrmrus.

Original application filed. may 24, 1924,

Serial Nix-715,712. Dtviileglgnd this application filed August 81,

1926. Serial No. 132,683.

The subj ect-matter of the invention herein disclosed and claimed was divided out of my copending application for patent Serial No.

715,712, filed May 24:, 192i, for die casting v machines, (Patent No. 1,599,62 t, dated Sept.- 14, 1926), such division being made because of and along the lines of a requirement of division made by the Patent Otiice. The present invention relates to the embodiment in a die casting machine of a metal-replenishing feed mechanism to feed ingots to a pressure chamber forming a melting pot for metal to be cast, and relates more particularly to the embodying ot' automatically operated ingotl5 feeding mechanism in an automatic die casting machine.

he automatically operated metal-replenishin g feed mechanism disclosed and claimed herein as a feature of a die casting machine for feeding ingots to a combined pressure chamber and melting pot, is in general similar to that disclosed in the copending applicat on for patent of Charles Pack for die casting apparatus. filed October 27, 1923, Serial No. (371,084. (Patent No. 1,592,125; dated July 13, 1926) which contains broader claims for such mechanism.

The mechanism disclosed herein for supporting and moving the die sections relatlvely to each other and relatively to the nozzle of the casting pot is claimed in my above noted parent patent, together with other parts and mechanisms in a completely automatic die casting machine, which includes in the general combination the ingot-feeding mechanism of the present invention, and further includes automatic core-pulling and casting-ejecting mcchanisn'is not disclosed herein. Information in detail as to such machine as a whole may be obtained from the said parent patent.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved automatic die casting machine embodying thercin ingot-feeding mechanism for replenishing the metal in a casting pot or pressure chamber which also forms a meltin; pot. for the metal to be cast. Other objcots and advantages of my invention will lu-rcinaftcr appear.

My invention includes various features of construction and combinations of parts. as will appear from thefollowing description.

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will now be described with reference thereto after which I shall point out my invention 'in claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a die casting machine embodying my invention, the machine being shown as it appears at rest in the idle condition;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view in elevation of a controlling device forming a part of the ingot-feeding mechanism as viewed from the front in Fig. 1, the parts being so positioned that an ingot will be fed at the next casting operation;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts in a I different position which they will occupy during the next succeeding casting operation and showing that an ingot will be fed to the casting potwhen the die is retracted;

Fig. 4 is an inclined plan view on an en la'rged scale of the left end of the machine as shown in Fig. 1, but with the machine in operation, for example, to correspond with Fig. 3, the position of the several parts indicating that the die is closed and clamped to the nozzle in casting relation just prior to the admission of pressure fluid into the castipg pot to force the molten metal into the Fig. 5 is a partial transversesection of the machine taken on the;staggcred line 55 of Fig. 1, showing in elevation the lower part of the furnace, the air pipes and the valves in control of the supply of pressure fluid for the pressure chamber or casting pot;

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5, showing in elevation the valve device appearing at the left in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a partial rear elevation drawn to the scale of Fig. 2 showing what appears in Fig. 2 together with other parts of the ingotfeeding mechanism which are. shown in broken lines in Fig; 1. r

' The die casting machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings as an embodiment of my invention, has a fire box 1, base 2, cover plate 3, and a melting pot 4, for the metal to be cast and which also constitutes a casting potor pressure chamber. The pot 4 has a cover cap 5, a delivery spout 6, a discharge nozzle 7, and a flange 8 secured to the cover therefrom into the die.

plate 3. For forcing out the molten metal from the pot 4 through its nozzle 7 into't-he die, asuitable pressure fluid, such as com:

A supply pipe-12 is connected to the inlet port of the valve device 11, the delivery port of the latter is connected to the pipe 10 leading to "the pressure chamber 4, and the exhaust port thereof has connected thereto an exhaust pipe 13.. The valve device 11 has a valve stem 14 held at its upper position by a thrust sprlng 15. The valve stem 14 may be depressed by means of a small lever 16 pivoted upon the valve body or casing. When the valve stem 14 is in the raised position shown in the drawings (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) the valve is closed. When the valve stem 14 is depressed, by lifting the'outer end of the valve lever 16,

the exhaust port, connected to the exhaust pipe 13, is closed and the supply pipe 12 is placed in communication, through the valve device, with thepressure chamber pipe 10,

thereby admitting pressure fluid into the pressure chamber 4 to force the molten metal The means for'automatically operatingthe valve device 11, to admit pressure fluid into or exhaust it from the pressure chamber 4,. will be described hereinafter. A main supply pipe 17 communicates'with the secondary supply pipe 12 through a second valve device 18 form1'ng a part of an automatically operated safety device.

The die comprises two movable parts or sections 19 and 20. The first or inner die section 19 has an inlet port or gate to fit snugly over the end of the nozzle 7 when the die sections are closed together and brought to the casting position. A pair of guide rods 21 at their inner ends are secured to the furnace 1 by means of a cross bar 22 which is secured to the furnace by boltsand by means of a pair of side rods 23 (Figs. 1 and 5). The outer raised ends of the rods-21 are supported by brackets 24 upon a supporting standard 25. Mounted upon the outer end portions of the rods 21 is a frame or machine head 26.

The inner die section 19 is supported by a die carrier 27, which is' slidably mounted upon the rods 21. An operatin member 28, forming a cross-head, is slida ly mounted upon the rods 21 next to the frame part 26 and is rigidly connected to the die carrier 27 by four parallel guide rods 29. Outward from the first die carrier 27 and slidably mounted comprise two toggle links 32 and 33 pivoted together, the link 33 being pivoted to the second or outer die carrier 30, while the shorter link' 32 is pivoted to the slidable cross-head 28, the two shorter links 32 being fixed, respectively. upon the ends of a rock-shaft 34 extending transversely to the path of move- "ment of the cross-head 28 and journaled in bearing lugs 35 thereon. A spur gear 36 is fixed upon the rock shaft 34 and engages a stationary rack 37 carried by a frame part 38 on the head or'frame 26.

' For sliding the cross-head 28, a second set of toggle links is provided, comprising two pairs, each having two toggle links 39 and 40 pivoted together, the links 40 being pivoted to the cross-head 28, the shorter links 39 being pivoted to the stationary frame 26, the two shorter links 39 being fixed, respectively, upon the ends of a rock shaft 41, which extends transversely to the path of movement of the cross-head and is journaled in the frame 26.

A short horizontal main drive shaft 42 is journaled in the back part of the frame 26 and at the back of the machine the projecting end of the drive shaft 42 has fixed thereon a driving pulley 43 which may be driven from any suitable source of power. The drive shaft 42 may be connected to the rock shaft 41 through suitable intermediary gearing, such as reversing gearing, including a double clutch or reversing clutch, as disclosed in my above noted parentpatent. I

A clutch shifter for the reversing clutch comprises a ro'ckable shaft 44 journaled in the frame 26 and having fixed upon its upper end a two-armed clutch-controlling lever 45 provided with a spring-pressed pin 46 which at its lower rounded end is yieldingly engageable in any one of three recesses in the upper side of a lug 47 on the top of the frame 26. For starting the machine in operation, a starting lever 48 is pivoted upon the front of the head 26 and has an arm engaging at its end between bearing screws in the clutchcontrolling lever 45.

During the final part of the forward traveling movement of the cross-head 28, a traveling tappet screw 49 moving towards the right (Figs. 1 and 4), comes into contact with the rear end of the clutch-controlling lever 45 and moves the latter from the forward-drive to the neutral position thereof as shown in Fig. 4, thereby automatically stopping the rotation of the die operating rock shaft 41 at substantially a half turn with the toggle locked and the die closed at the casting posishaft journaled in the frame 26 and which carries a worm 56 engaging a worm gear 57 fixed upon the lower end portion of the clutch shaft 52. The clutch shaft 52 will be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4.

A clutch member 58 is fixed on the clutch shaft 52 to rotate therewith. A second clutch member 59 loosely mounted on the clutch.

shaft 52 above the rotating clutch member 58 has a slidable clutch bolt (not shown). Normally, the clutch bolt is held at its disengaged position by a bolt-disengaging wedge 60, this wedge-being pivoted on the frame 26 at 61, a retractile spring 62 being provided to return the wedge into position for engaging the clutch bolt.

The one-revolution clutch is-set in operation by a pawl 63, pivoted on the controlling rod 51 at 64, striking the upper end of an upstanding stud 65 on the pivoted wedge 60 and moving the wedge out of engagement with the-clutch bolt. The pawl 63 is yieldingly held by a retractile spring 66 (Fig. 1).

A pair of connected cams 67 and 68, which may be in one piece, are loosely mounted upon the upper end of the clutch shaft 52 and are connected to the loosely mounted clutch member 59 to be rotated thereby. A radially pro jecting p'n 69 on the upper cam 67 strikes the upstanding arm of the pawl finger 63 and raises the latter out of engagement with the wedge stud 65, permitting the wedge 60 to be moved by its spring 62 into position for withdrawing the clutch bolt, thereby bringing the cams 67 and 68 to a stop at the end of a single rotation.

The cam 67 has a groove 70 to provide a sloping cam projection 71 and an inclined cam shoulder 72. The cam groove 70 receives a cam roller on the adjacent end of a slidable bar 73 guided in the frame 26 and pivoted at its other end to the shorter arm of a lever 74 pivoted at 75 on the frame 26 and having a longer rcarwardly projecting arm to which there is connected one end of a pull chain 76 which has its other end connected to the valve-operating lever 16 of the valve device 11.

The cam 68 has a. circumferentiallyfaced cam rise 77 which slopes gradually at its leading end and terminates abruptly. The cam 68 engages a cam roller (Fig. 1) on the adjacent end of a slidable push bar 78 which at its other end is engageable with the clutchcontrolling lever 45, the push bar 78 being provided with a guide 78 and being further guided adjacent the cam roller.

Immediately after the cam roller. escapes the abrupt end ofthe cam projection 77, a backwardly traveling tappet screw 79 carried by the clutch-controlling rod 51, through a tappet block '80, will engage the clutch-controlling lever 45 and will shift the latter from the reverse-drive to the neutral position, thereby stopping the machine, with the die carriers 27 and 30 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and a complete cycle of operations has now taken place.

' The automatically operatedmetal-replenr ishing feedmechanism provided in accordance with my invention for automatically fee-ding ingots to the casting pot or pressure chamber 4, which also is a melting pot, will now be described. Cylindrical ingots 81 are contained in atrough or open top chute 82 and in the upper end of a tubular feed chute 83 which extends downward from the bottom of the trough 82 and opens into the upper end of the combined melting pot and pressure chamber 4 through its cap 5. The trough 82 is slightly inclined from the horizontalso that the ingots will roll down into the upper I end of the tubular chute 83,-th eir entry being assured by an abutment 84 in the trough 82, and the tubular chute 83 is shown as slightly inclined from the vertical and as arranged at right angles to the trough 82. The trough 82 extends out towards the machine head 26 and is provided with braces 85 and 86 connected to the furnace 1.

An automatically operated ingot-feeding escapement device is provided to drop the ingots 81 one by one through the feed tube 83. A short lever 87 is pivotally fulcrumed at its middle on a lug 88 projecting from the upper end of the feed tube 83 at the right side thereof as viewed in Fig. "1, this lever extending along the feed tube 83 near the upper end thereof. The lower end of ,the lever 87 is pivot-ed to the outer end of an ingot-enga inglinger 89 passing through and guided in an opening in the feed tube 83, and the upper end of the lever 87 is pivoted to a similar finger 90, this latter finger, however, being extended outward and having pivoted to its outer end the upper end of an operating lever 91 of the first order which below and outward from the lower end of the fingerconnectcd lever 87 is pivotally fulcrumed on a lug or bracket 92 projecting from the feed tube 83, the lower and longer arm of the operating lever 91 being bent first outwardly and then downwardl I I It is evident that by rocking the operating lever 91 in one direction and then in the other. the inner ends of the fingers 89 and will be alternately projected into the path of the ingots 81, and in like manner withdrawn therefrom, in Fig. 1 the lower finger lngot. Upon inward movement of the lower end of the operating lever 91, the upper finger will be withdrawn and the lower finger. 89 will be projected into the feed tube 83, so that the lowermost ingot will escape past the upper finger 90 and will now rest upon the lower finger 89, the condition now again being the same as shown in Fig, 1.

An automatically operated valve or closure for the casting pot 4 is provided in the feed tube 88 below the above described ingot-feeding device, to be kept closed when there is pressure of pressure fluid in the pressure chamber or casting pot 4, to prevent the escape of the pressure fluid, and to be opened at a time when there is no pressureof pressure fluid in the pressure chamber 4, to provide for the dropping of an ingot 81 through the feed tube 83 into the pressure chamber 4 to replenish the nietal therein. Such valve is shown as a gate valve comprising a valve casing 93 connected in the feed tube 83 and providing a seat for a wedge-shaped valve gate 94. The slidable valve gate 94 has connected thereto an operating rod 95 provided with spaced adjustable nuts 96 between which the lower end of the operating lever 9l of the ingot-feeding device engages, so that thereby a connection is formed between the Valve gate 94 and the above described ingotfeeding device to co-ordinate their movements so as to assure or compel their concurrent operation, the arrangement being such, as will be evident from Fig. 1 that when the valve gate 94 is opened the lowermost ingot will be released by the lower finger 89, to

drop through the feed tube 83 and unobstructed valve casing 93 of the open valve into the pressure chamber 4, the reserve supply of ingots then being'held back by the upper finger 90, and then when the valve gate 94 is closed the ingots 81 will be released by the upper ingot-holding finger 90 and will descend upon the lower ingot-holding finger 89.

' as shown in Fig. 1. The portion of the feed tube 83 below the valve gate or closure 94 virtually or in effect forms an extension of the air chamber 9 of the casting pot 4. e

In the embodiment of theinvention shown in the drawings, automatically controlled fluid pressure operated means are providedfor efl'ecting the above described concurrent operation of the chute-controlling gate valve and the ingot-feeding device. The operating rod 95,-wl1ich is a piston rod, carries at its outer end from the valve gate 94-and is operated by a double-acting piston 97 in a cylinder 98 supported at the rear of and upon the topof the fire box 1 by a bracket 99. A suitable pressure fluid, such as compressed air, for operating the piston 97, is admitted to the. cylinder 98 through pipes 100 and 101 connected to the opposite ends of this cylinder, and the used pressure fluid is exhausted from i the cylinder through the same pipes. When piston-operating pressure fluid is admitted to the cylinder 98 through the pipe 100, at the left end thereof as viewed in Fig. 1, the valve gate 94 will. be opened and an ingot dropped into the pressure chamber 4, and when the pressure fluid is admitted to the .cylinder 98 through the pipe 101, at the other trol of the ressure fluid, and the valve device 102 shown in Figs. 1 and 7 is a common form of four-way valve, of the rotary type, and therefore need nothave all its details of construction shown. The pipes 100 and 101, connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder 98, are connected at their other ends to the valve device 102; also connected to the valve device 102 are a pressure fluid supply pipe or inlet pipe 103 and an exhaust pipe 104, the supply pipe 103 at its other or intake end being connected to the main supply pipe 17. The valve device 102 is shown as located in an inclined position at the rear of the fire box 1 and as supported by means of a bracket 105 mounted on the adjacent side rod 23. The valve device 102 has a rockable stem or spindle 106 which projects to the outside at its lower end, and the arrangement is such that when this valve stem is rocked in one direction, for example, in a clockwise direction as viewed from below, pressure fluid will be admitted to the left end of the cylinder 98 through the pipe 100 and will be exhausted from the other end of the cylinder through the pipe 101, thereby to open the valve gate 94and to cause the ingot on the lower finger 89 to be dropped thereby. When the valve stem 106 is rocked in the opposite direction, the valve gate 94 will be closed against escape of pressure fluid from the pressure chamher 4 and an ingot will be let down upon the lower finger 89 in readiness to be dropped thereby, as shown in Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention, operating means are provided and operated automatically from a suitably moving part of the machine, for automatically operating the fluid pressure controlling valve device 102 in proper timed relation with the operation of the hereinbefore described automatically operated valve device 11, so as thereby to assure the feeding of ingots to the pressure chamber 4'only at such times as there is no pressure of pressure fluid therein; such operating means embodying automatically act-' ing selective controlling means, comprising a selector device,'whereby the frequency of the ingot-feeding operations relatively to the casting operations may be varied as desired. Such selective controlling means play an important part by reason of the fact that commonly each ingot 81'cont'ains enough metal for several casting operations, the number of such 0 erations per ingot dependingupon the size 0 the castings, which. may vary considerably upon changing'the die for the casting of different articles. By reason of the selectively operating controllng means employed,

an ingot 81 may be fed to the pressure chamber 4 for each casting operation, or only at in- .tervals following a predetermined number of wheel 108 is rotated step by step in the for ward or a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7 ,one step or to the extent of one tooth at each casting operation, by means of a two-armed rocker 109 loosely pivoted or fulcrumed on the stud 107 .at .the rear of or outwardly from the ratchet wh'eelj108. The rocker 109 has a lower rock arm extending beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel 108 and there provided with. a pivoted spring pressed pawl 110 engageable with the successive teeth of the. ratchet wheel to rotate it as above described. The rocker 109 has an upper rock arm to which is pivoted one end of a link rod 111 the other end of which is pivoted to a short upwardly extending rock' arm 112 fixed upon the rear end of a small transverse rock shaft 113 journaled in bearings 114 on the lower side of the cross bar 22. The rockshaft 113 has fixed medially thereon a small downwardly projecting operating arm 115. The inner die carrier 27 is provided at its lower edge with a downwardly projecting bracket arm 116 which carries an adjustable tappet screw 117, the operating arm 115 being in the terminal part of the path of movement of this tappet screw, as the die carrier 27 moves toward the nozzle 7.

When the tappet screw 117, carried by the inner die carrier 27, comes into contact with the operating arm 115, on the rock shaft 113,

110 engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel 108 and rotates the latter one step or one tooth, this movement for rotating the ratchet wheel 108 being imparted to the rocker 109 by a retractile spring 118 connected to its upper rock arm, a stud orpin 119 providing a stop for the rocker 109 when it is thus moved by the spring 118. A rockable finger 120 is loosely inountedto rock. on the stud 107-at the other side of the ratchet wheel 108 from the rocker 109, the tip of this finger terminat ing outward from the bottoms of the ratchet wheel notches and inward from the ends of the ratchet wheelteeth, and shown as terminating at about one-third of the length of the teeth. The lower end of the finger 120 has therein a substantially radialslot 121 in which works a pin 122 on the adjacent end of a slidable rack bar 123provided with a guide 124 extending from the lower end of the valve device 102. The other end portion of the rack bar 123 has thereon rack teeth engaging a pinion 125- which is fixed upon the lower end of the rockable valve stem 106 of the valve device 102, the rack bar 123 passing to the rear of the inion 125 as viewed in Fig. 1, as is indicated y the rack teeth appearing on the rack bar 123 in Figs. 2 and 3. The rack bar 123 is normally held at its right-hand position, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which is the left-hand position as shown in Fig. 7, b a retractile spring126 shown as connecte to the rockable finger 120, to hold it against a stop pin 127, this position of the finger 120 and rack bar 123 corresponding to the closed condition of the chute-controlling valve gate 94 shown in Fig. 1. When the finger 120 is in this position it overlies one of the teeth of the ratchet wh el 1Q8 but terminates short thereof, and a o is not quite flush with the radial or. abrupt side of the tooth. Means for causing the pawl 110 to engage and operate the finger 120,01 to prevent such engagement and operation, as may be desired, will now be described. I

The ratchet wheel 108' carries a complete circular series of twelve radially arranged pawl-controlling settable selector blocks 128 arranged in radial alignment with the ratchet wheel notches, and forming lugs upon the side of the ratchet wheel 108 adjacent the rockable finger 120. Each selector block or lug 128 is firmly secured on the ratchet wheel 108 by a pair of bolts 129 passing through a longitudinal slot in the block and providing for radially setting the block to an inner or to an outer position on the ratchet wheel. By setting the selector blocks 128 inward, the ratchet wheel notches will be completely uncovered for the full length of the teeth, and by setting these blocks outward, the ratchet wheel notches will be covered to about onehalf the radial length of the ratchet wheel teeth, so that the outer ends of the outwardly set blocks 128 will extend radially beyond the outer end or tip of the rockable valve operating finger 120, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7. In the drawings, two diametrically opposite selector blocks 128 are shown as set at their inner or notch-clearing position, while the remainder of these blocks are at their outer or notch-covering position.

Obviously, instead of setting the selector blocks 128 to their inner position, they may be removed, if desired, but such removal is fully in the corresponding ratchet wheel notches.

When the tappet screw 117 comes ino contact with the lever arm 115, the rocker 109 will be rocked in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed 1n Figs. 1, 2' and 3, and in a clockwise dlrection as vlewed in Fig.

. 7, whereby the pawl 110 will ride idly over ment thereof, and accordingly the valve gate 94 will remain closed, as shown in Fig. 1, during the time that there is pressure of 7 pressure fluid in the pressure chamber 4 for ejecting the molten metal therefrom into the die. When thetappet screw 117 is retracted from the lever arm 115, after the pressure fluid has been exhausted from the pressure chamber 4, the spring 118 will rock the rocker 109 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,01 countier-clockwise as viewed in Fi 7, and the pawl 110 will rotate the ratchet wheel 108 forward One tooth, as hereinbefore described. At this time should the pawl be fully seated in one of the ratchet wheel notches, as shown in Fig. 3, by reason of the corresponding selector block 128 being at its inner position, the pawl 110 will engage the tip of the rockable finger 120, and will rock this finger in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3), thereby, through the above described instrumentali- -valve device 11.

wearer ties, causing the valve gate 94 of the gate valve to be opened and an ingot 81 to be dropped into the pressure chamber 4. It is to be understood in this connection that the rocker spring 118 is strong enough to overcome the spring 126 employed for ret-racting the rockable finger 120 and slidable rack bar 123. The valve gate 94 will now remain open until at the next casting operation when the tappet screw 117 engages the lever arm A15, causing the pawl 110, in its retractive movement, to ride outward on a ratchet tooth and release the rockable finger 120, whereupon the latter will be returned to its'original position by its spring 1265, thereby closing. the valve gate 94 in the-feed tube 83 prior to the admission of pressure fluid into the pressure chamber. or casting pot 4. Should the pawl 110 be held partly out of a ratchet wheel notch by one of the selector blocks or lugs 128 at its outer position, this pawl, while imparting a step of rotative movement to the ratchet wheel 108, will pass by the outer end or tip of the rockable finger 120, so as not to operate it, and the valve gate 94 accordingly will remain closed, and no ingot will be fed to the pressure chamber or melting pot 4. It will now be evident that the automatic ingot-feeding mechanism shown in the drawings provides for varying the frequency of the feeding operations all the way from the feeding of an ingot at each casting operation to the feeding of an ingot only at each twelfth casting operation, thereby providing, by changing the die, for the making of castings of widely varying sizes. lhe ingot-feeding mechanism in the machine shown in the drawings is shown as arranged to feed an ingot 81 to the melting pot or pressure chamber 4 at each sixth successive casting operation.

The valve device 18, which forms a safety valve, has its exhaustport connected to an exhaust. pipe 130. It has a valve stem 131 and a valve-closing spring 132. A long rockable valve-operating lever 133, pivoted at its lower end on the valve body or casing, is pivotally connected at its upper end. to a small downwardly extending rock arm 134 carried by the front end of the rock shaft 113. Just before the die section 19 comes into contact with the nozzle 7, the rocking of the rock shaft 113, as hereinbefore described, rocks the valve-operating lever 133, thereby operatin the valve device 18 to admit pressure fluid from. the main supply pipe 17 to the pipe 12 just prior to the opening of the When the die section 19 isretracted from the nozzle 7 the valve-operating'l'ever 133 will be rocked in the opposite direction, permitting the valve spring 132 to close the valve of the valve device 18, communication at the same time being opened between the secondary supply pipe 12 and the exhaust pipe 130.

The operation of the machine as an embodiment of the present invention has been hereinbefore so fully explained that no extended general explanation need now be added. Beginning with the position of rest of the operating parts of the machine illustrated in Fig? l, the die sections 19 and 20 will be closed and locked together and at the same time the inner die section 19 will be moved into contact with and locked to the nozzle 7. Just as the die section 19 is closing upon the nozzle the safety valve 18 is opened, then after the locking of the die'sections at the casting position the pressure fluid supply valve 11 is opened to cause the molten metal to be forced from the combined melting pot. andcasting pot or pressure chamber 4 into the die, then the pressure fluid is exhausted from the pot 4 by the'valve device 11, then, after a. suitable period of rest for the casting to harden, the die sections-are unclamped and retracted from the nozzle and from each other. Just after the inner die section leaves the nozzle the safety valve 18 is closed, and at this time an ingot is dropped into the pot 4, providing the metal is to be replenished at this particular casting operation. Finally, excepting as toits continuously rotated drivingparts, the machine stops.

It is to be understood that the construction shown-in the drawings and herein particularly described as one embodiment of my invention may have various modifications made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A die casting machine comprising a relation to said valve device to feed ingots to the pot at times while the pressure fluid is exhausted therefrom, said feed mechanism comprising a valve to prevent the'escape of pressure fluid from the top of the pot and operable to permit the passage of an ingot at times when the pressure fluid has been exhausted from the pot, an ingot-feeding device operable to drop an ingot through the open valve .into the pot, connections between said ingotfeeding device and valve to compel their concurrent operation, fiuid pressure operated means for operating said valve and ingotfeeding device, fluid pressure controlling means in control of the pressure fluid for operating said fluid pressure operated means, and means for automatically operating said relation to said valve device to feed ingots to the pot at times while the pressure fluid is comprising a valve to prevent the escape of pressure fluid from the top of the pot and operable to permit the passage of an ingot at times when the pressure fluid has been exhausted from the pot, an ingot-feeding device operable to drop an ingot through the open valve into the pot, connections between said ingot-feeding device and valve to compel their concurrent operation, fluid pressure operated means foroperating said valve and ingot-feeding device, a second valve device in control of the pressure fluid for operating said fluid pressure operated means, an operating device for said second valve device actuated automatically at each casting operation,

and controlling means for said operating device adapted to cause it to operate said second valve device or to fail to operate said second valve device, whereby the frequency of the ingot-feeding operations relatively to the casting operations may be varied as desired.

3. A die casting machine having, in combiing pot for metal to be cast provided with a discharge nozzle, means for automatically admitting a suitable pressure fluid into and exhausting it from the pot with the die closed andin casting relation to the nozzle to eject molten metal through the nozzle into the die, and a metal-replenishing feed mechanism operated automatically in timed relation to the operation of said means to feed ingots to the pot while the pressure fluid is exhausted therefrom and at predetermined tin-Les relatively to the casting operations, said feed mechanism including means for varying the number of ingot-feeding operations relatively to the number of casting-operations.

4. A die casting machine having, in combination, a pressure chamber forming a melting pot for metal to be cast provided with a discharge nozzle,v automatically operated means including a valve device for admitting I a suitable pressure fluid into the pot to eject molten metal through the nozzle into a die and thereafter automatically to exhaust the pressure fluid from the pot, and a metal-re plenishing feed mechanism operating automatically in timed relation to said valve denation, a pressure chamber forming a melt- 80 exhausted therefrom, .saidfeed mechanism operable to feed an ingot into the open pot,

and means for automatically operating said closure and said ingot-feedingdevice in proper timed relation with eac other and in proper timed relation with the automatic operation of said valve device.

5. A die casting machine having, in combination, a pressure chamber forming a melting pot for metal to be cast provided with a discharging nozzle, means for automatically admitting a suitable pressure fluid into and exhausting it from the pot with the die closed and in casting relation to the nozzle to eject molten metal through the nozzle into the die, and a metal-replenishing feed mechanism operated automatically in timed relation to the operation of said means to feed ingots to the pot while the pressure fluid is exhausted therefrom and at predetermined times relatively to the casting operations, said feed mechanism comprising an ingot-feeding device operable to feed an ingot to the pot, means for operating the ingot-feeding device including an operating device actuated automatically at each casting operation, and controlling means for said operating device providing for varying the frequency of the ingotfeeding operations relatively to the casting operations, said controlling means comprising a ratchet wheel, a rockable finger pivoted coaxially with the ratchet wheel and the tip of which terminates outward from the bottoms of the ratchet wheel notches and inward from the ends of the ratchet wheel teeth, means whereby the operation of said finger causes the operation of said ingot-feeding device, a rock arm pivoted coaxially with and extending beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel and to which said operating device is connected, a pawl carried by the outer end of said arm to rotate the ratchet wheel step by step and when fully seated in a notch thereof also engaging the tip of said finger to operate said ingot-feeding device, and settable lugs to be set to different-positions on the ratchet wheel including a position to prevent the pawl engaging the finger while permitting it to'engage and rotate the ratchet wheel and another position to permit the pawl to engage and operate both the ratchet wheel and the finger, whereby the frequency of the ingotteeaiea r feeding operations relatively to the casting operations maybe varied as desired.

6. A die casting machine having, in combination, a pressure chamber forming a melting pot for metal to be cast provided with a discharge nozzle, automatically operated means including a valve device for admitting a suitable pressure fluid into and exhaustin it from the pot with the die closed and in casting relation to the nozzle to eject molten metal through the nozzle into the die, and a metal-replenishing feed mechanism operated automatically in timed relation to the operation of said valve device to feed ingots to the pot while the pressure fluid is exhausted therefrom and at predetermined times relatively to the casting operations, said feed mechanism comprising a closure for the top of the pot operable to openand close the pot, means for automatically operating said closure in timed relation with the operation of'said valve device to open the pot only after the molten metal has been inj ected into the die, an ingot-feeding device operable to feed an ingot to the open pot, means for automatically operating the ingot-feeding device in timed relation with the operation of said closure including an operating device actuated automatically at each castingoperation, and controlling means for said operating device providing for varying the frequency of theingot-feeding operations relatively to the casting operations, said controlling means comprising a ratchet wheel, a rockable finger pivoted coax'ially with the ratchet wheel and the tip of which terminates outward from the bottoms of the ratchet wheel notches and in ward from the ends of the ratchet wheel teeth, means whereby the o eration of said finger causes the operation 0 said ingot-feeding device, a rock arm pivoted coaxially with and extending beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel and to which said operating device is connected, a pawl carried by the outer end of said arm to rotate the ratchet wheel step bystep and when fully seated in a notch thereof also engaging the tip of said finger to operate said ingot-feeding device, and settable lugs to be set to different positions on the ratchet wheel including a position to prevent the pawl engaging the linger while permitting it to engage and rotate the ratchet wheel and another position to permit the pawl to engage and operate both the ratchet wheel and the finger, whereby the frequency of the ingotfeeding operations relatively to the casting operations may be varied as desired.

in witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

' MARC STERN. 

